Lashing out at the Delhi government for not introducing ‘destination buses’, the National Green Tribunal Friday asked the Delhi Chief Secretary to submit a report on why these buses were not started despite its orders. Destination buses are meant to carry passengers from one point to another without any halts in between. “Do you know the state of affairs in Delhi? Children are not able to breathe fresh air and are going to hospitals every week. This is what you want for your children? Why have you not started destination buses despite our specific orders? The Chief Secretary of Delhi is directed to submit as to why destination buses in terms of our orders have not been introduced so far,” the tribunal said. The government told the tribunal that it did not have enough buses, but the tribunal said there were buses parked along the Yamuna depot and there was no reason why its orders could not be implemented.

The Delhi government has tried to procure buses over the past two years but in vain. Last year, at least 1,000 buses were supposed to be inducted into the fleet but only 300 were brought in — that too not under the Delhi Transport Corporation but the cluster bus service. The idea is to have these buses as an alternative for those who drive cars. “These buses would provide an economical alternative to people to avoid use of private cars and will have direct benefits to reduce congestion and improve ambient air quality,” the tribunal said.